Reading did very well, so well done to them Anyway, that's another game struck off the list, so we move onwards and upwards COYR!
So many people this evening seem to be jumping on his back. Watched the game on Sky and to be honest I would say Rickie Lambert looked even more out of it, David Connolly too... Guly has had a very good start to the season, a month ago he was one of our best players and just because he has had one 'out-of-it' game I don't think everyone should get on his back A word on Steve De Ridder, absolutely fantastic when he came on today, pace, pace and lots more pace
Agreed. How we can single players out for criticism when the team wasn't at it today, I don't know. Several were below par, but we got out of jail. We should focus on the positives: De Ridder, Martin, Jos, Fox, Kelvin, all played well.
I think it's safe to say....we will draw a blue line under that one!! It felt more like a win just because we were so below-par in this game. Credit to Reading though because they really played well.
Agree. It's not fair to single out players after a below-par team performance. Guly provided the assist for De Ridder with a lovely flick-on so he deserves credit for that!
A number of sub par performances as many have already said, but it was a good result and the positive has to be Steve de Ridder who was fantastic when he came on. Cracking goal as well, I gave a loud enough 'go on lad' when it went in to make all my housemates jump!
Chaplow was head and shoulders above everyone else in our side. He seemed to be everywhere involved in everything. Honourable mentions go to Davis, Fox and Hooivled too. Reading's central midfield of Karcan and Leigertwood (who is a beast) dominated, both of whom I have long rated and cant believe QPR released him, and I thought that Cork and Hammond got over-run which is where are problems stemmed from. Whilst Reading dominated they didn't create too many clear cut chances and we looked comfortable from their corners. Funnily enough once we went down to ten men we improved and Guly after an indifferent game began to play well. In the end a great point and it will feel like a win after coming from behind. Fonte has been out of sorts recently and I thought Martin came in and did well. Connolly was wasteful in possession too. Hammond was unfortunate with the first yellow but the second was a certainty.
Fox is impressing me every game!! His crossing is none I've seen for a long while regarding!! Just gotta get de ridder/ Richardson up to that level and lambert will get alot of goals
It's just the way it is with some Saints fans, there always has to be a pantomime villain who is to blame for the whole team's bad performance, there were several players below par, not just Guly. I agree with OROW's assessment of the game, we were dominated in midfield and Reading just seemed to work harder than us for the first 80 mins of the game. Great credit must go to the team for not giving up and getting a valuable point out of what seemed like a hopeless cause.
Like others, happy we got a point when we haven't played well. Fair play to Reading. De Ridder is just what we needed, he's had a goal coming, great impact. Well done Saints for not giving up and again working so hard. I'm not unhappy with result all things considered. Lets get 3 points against Boro.
I prefer to look at it the other way and say i'm happy with only losing 2 in 7 away games,can't win them all! worst performance of the season but bloody hell we still got a point! can't play breathtaking football every game.I'm just gonna rejoice in the fact that we gained a point while playing poorly,man u have done that and been praised for it for years! if you can pick up points when u play badly then to me it's a positive.COYR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Turned up at the MadStad expecting a good performance and was given a mediocre display from quite a few team members (but not us fans, who were pretty good indeed). Davis kept us in it to be honest, as our Centre of Midfield let Reading come at us and lay siege to our goal. Made some fantastic saves. De Ridder u legend. Ratings are as follows...: Davis - 9 (MoTM) - very good, commanding display especially as they had so many crosses and corners. Caught and dominated well. Richardson - 7 - tough game for him but a decent display nonetheless. Fonte - 7 - won a few headers but did give it to them a bit, though so did the whole team. Fox - 7.5 - another great display, put in some good challenges and got forward well. Hooiveld - 7 - under pressure a lot but did well Cork - 4 - outmuscled, outfought, and caught in possession a fair few times. Deano - 6 - put himself about well, but perhaps got stuck in too much. Guly - 6 - a few pieces of good play and link up, and got back well. but i felt he needed to put more effort in to relieve pressure. Chappers - 7 - energetic and created chances. Main attacking threat in first half. Lambo - 5 - won maj. Of headers, especially defensively, but didn't click well on the ground when trying to link up Connolly - 4 - poor game imo. Martin - 7 - did well under pressure for such a yoing lad Deridder - 8.5 good impact, great goal but needed to pass more Scheiderlin - 6 - did reasonably well. Broke up some attacks and kept it simple. Fans were really good, especially considering we had it against us a goal down and with 10 men. Love it that we sing straight after conceding, which is why I was baffled by Reading's chant of 'you're not singing anymore'. Hoping for better against CP and Boro'
I don't think some people are giving reading enough credit. I'm usually exceptionally bias but tonight was more about how well reading played to stop us from playing. Yes on another night if we'd not just recently given it our all against west ham etc etc they would have found it harder to stop us. But credit where credit's due tonight.
